Caring for cast iron is not complex at all. To season it, simply coat the
inside of the skillet with a thin film of shortening and bake it in a preheated
350-degree oven for about an hour. The more often you do this, the more
resistant to rust and the more nonstick it becomes. As far as difficult to use
as a blind person, yes, the nandle can get very hot depending on how you are
using it, which is why I keep a heat-resistant glove nearby at all times. If
it goes into the oven, you can bet that glove is right there with me. I am not
totally blind, but have some usable vision, so I can usually see the handle.
To clean it, I either use a soft brush, or, if needed, a little kosher salt.
If there's a bit of food stuck on there that doesn't want to come off, I can
set it on the stove and bring some water to a boil and usually scrape it off
with a wooden spoon or spatula.
----- Original Message -----
From: Sharon
To: blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 4:03 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: New cookbook
John, how can you as a blind person use cast iron? The handle is hot. I guess
you could use an oven mit. But isn't care complex?
Sharon
From: blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blindcooks-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jonathan Rawlings
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 4:17 PM
To: Blind Cooks List
Subject: [blindcooks] New cookbook
Hello all:
I just thought I would tout a new cookbook I recently bought for myself,
since our finances seem to be improving a bit lately. It is called "Cook It In
Cast Iron" by "Cooks' Country" magazine, and there are a lot of recipes I am
looking forward to making from this book.
I developed a love of cast iron some years ago because of its ability
to get hot and stay hot, even in the face of relatively-cold food. I like how
it is naturally-nonstick with proper care and use, its durability, how it helps
foods cook more evenly, how it doesn't warp, and how it only improves with
time. One of my cast iron skillets was passed down from my Grandma, who used
it for over 60 years. Yes, cast iron is heavy, but that's exactly what gives
it the heat-retention properties that make it so valuable.
But back to the book. Most of the recipes in this book are
fairly-simple and straightforward, as is the whole idea behind the "Cooks'
Country" magazine. For example, the recipes I look forward to trying from the
chapter titled "Sear it" include Crisp-skin salmon with honey lime sauce,
Blackened chicken with pineapple cucumber salsa, and Thick-cut steaks with blue
cheese and chive butter. From the chapter on one-dish dinners, there's
Pan-seared flank steak with crispy potatoes and chimachuri, and marinated steak
tips with charred peppers and onions. In the sandwiches and burgers chapter,
there's a recipe for a smoked turkey panini that is made with a sun-dried
tomato mayo, and the oil from the jar of tomatoes is brushed on the outside of
the bread before cooking that I can't wait to try. There's also something here
called a Baltimore pit beef sandwich that sounds really good and is served with
a horseradish spread, flank steak tacos with a charred corn salsa, and Italian
sausage and pepper subs. There is even a desserts chapter, and Emily was almost
drueling over the recipe for the easy chocolate pudding cake, and this recipe
for a skillet chocolate chip cookie sounds odd enough that I just might have to
make it soon. I guess you'd cut it into wedges to serve with some vanilla ice
cream? Many fun and tasty dinners are waiting to be made from this book. And
last night, I made the recipe for the buffalo chicken salad, and we actually
went to the trouble to make our own creamy blue cheese dressing. The blue
cheese we had was an unusual smoked variety, which made for an irrestistable
dressing. I will definitely let you know which recipes turn out the best as I
make them.
Jon
